Mark Cousins’ portrait of British modernist painter “A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things” won top honors at Karlovy Vary Film Festival Saturday, impressing an expert jury featuring Christine Vachon and Geoffrey Rush with its insightful look at art and vision.
Cousins said Wilhelmina Barns-Graham lived her life “fully, completely and wholeheartedly – let’s try to recreate that for her in our film.”
Norwegian divorce film “Loveable” won both a Crystal Globe jury prize as well as three other awards categories: FIPRESCI, Ecumenical Cinemas Label and Europa Cinemas Label prizes with its nuanced look at women navigating new lives after divorce.
Lilja Ingolfsdottir made waves with her debut feature-length drama “Loveable,” telling audiences at Hotel Thermal Grand Hall how the tale helped break down barriers they have put up between themselves and one another.
Director Nelicia Low was recognized for the Singapore/Taiwan/Poland production “Pierce,” an intricate account of family dynamics strained by an amateur fencing scandal which may also serve as an unsolved murder mystery, while actress Helga Guren of “Loveable” received her nod of honor.
Ton Kas and Guido Pollemans earned co-acting acting awards for the lighthearted family tensions story “Three Days of Fish”, directed in monochrome tones by Peter Hoogendoorn from Netherlands/Belgium.
Noaz Deshe’s French/German feature “Xoftex”, depicting Syrian and Palestinian asylum seekers stranded for months or even years at an overcrowded Greek facility, earned it special mention at this year’s Crystal Globe race. Adam Martinec’s chaotic Czech/Slovak family drama “Our Lovely Pig Slaughter” by Adam Martinec also received special consideration.
Karlovy Vary festival’s Proxima section, now in its third year, celebrates emerging filmmakers from around the globe and recently recognized “Stranger” by Zhengfan Yang as its featured production. This episodically chronicles lives lived within one Chinese hotel room.
Paolo Tizon’s Peru, Spain and Mexico-inspired drama “Night Has Come,” about trainee soldiers training to fight drug cartels in South America was awarded with the Proxima special jury prize.
“March to May” by Czech filmmaker Martin Pavol Repka earned special mention for its intimate yet comic depiction of exhausted parents realizing there’s still work left for them to do when parenting is no longer easy.
“Waves,” directed by Jiri Madl and featured at Karlovy Vary all week as one of Jiri Madl’s Cold War radio resistance dramas, won the Pravo Audience Award on Saturday evening. Another radio-based story: Rich Peppiatt’s Irish rowdy rap comedy Kneecap continued playing to packed theaters all week; though not winning an award this time round; its audience support is expected to increase further moving forward.
Karlovy Vary Film Fest recognized actors Daniel Bruhl, Clive Owen, Viggo Mortensen and Ivan Trojan for their outstanding cinematic efforts at an individual tribute held in their honor, along with influential film industry mavens Steven Soderbergh and Francine Maisel who provided insight into such work as Ocean’s Eleven franchise and “Succession.”
Owen honored Karlovy Vary fest president Jiri Bartoska on Saturday while accepting his award, commending his efforts over three decades to establish Central Europe’s premier film showcase, with special thanks for impactful programs like these for emerging filmmakers just starting their careers. Such festivals “are more necessary, crucial and essential now more than ever”, Owen noted.
The festival upheld its tradition of curating diverse work thematically linked together by exploring iterations of Franz Kafka interpretations, including Soderbergh’s own “Kafka,” made during pre-Velvet Revolution Czechoslovak regime’s permission in 1991.
Winners from Karlovy Vary Film Festival
Grand Prix Crystal Globe “A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things”, United Kingdom) Directed by Mark Cousins
“Loveable”, directed by Lilja Ingolfsdottir from Norway won special jury prize.
Nelicia Low’s film Pierce from Singapore, Taiwan and Poland won first prize as best director.
Best ActressHelga Guren: “Lovable”.
Ton Kas and Guido Pollemans of “Three Days of Fish” (Netherlands/Belgium).
Special Jury Mentions go to “Xoftex”, directed by Noaz Deshe.
“Our Lovely Pig Slaughter” (Czech Republic and Slovakia). Directed by Adam Martinec.
Proxima Grand Prize “Stranger” (USA, China, Netherlands, Norway & France). Directed by Zhengfan Yang.
Proxima Special Jury Prize “Night Has Come”, (Peru, Spain and Mexico), directed by Paolo Tizon
March to May (Czech Republic), directed by Martin Pavol Repka received special jury consideration.
Audience Award “Waves”, Czech Republic/Slovak cooperation directed by Jiri Madl
Ecumenical Jury Grand Prize “Loveable”
Ecumenical jury citation of Panopticon (Georgia, France, Italy and Romania). Directed by George Sikharulidze.
“Loveable”, Proxima Section; Directed by Paolo Tizon
Europa Cinemas Label prize “Loveable”
